


Different But The Same

by PearlRose (MissMaggie)



Category: Final Fantasy IX
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-25
Updated: 2012-05-25
Packaged: 2017-11-06 00:05:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/412537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMaggie/pseuds/PearlRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two siblings, recently discovered. They both seem to think that they have absolutely nothing in common, but they're more alike than either of them might care to admit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Different But The Same

They might have been siblings by fate of their creation, but they didn’t have anything in common. He was the fire, the sun, the light, warm and crude and welcoming. She was the ice, the moon, the dark, cool and brisk and distant. They claimed that they were polar opposites of one another, although the reality of it might be somewhere in the middle.

Mikoto acknowledged her brother with a reluctant acceptance, not knowing what it meant to be someone’s sister, but resigned to her fate none the less. She called him her brother in company. But she mostly thought of him as Zidane, who constantly confused her—and often embarrassed her. She would often long for him to just give her five minute’s peace before he stormed in, all giddiness and needing to  _touch_  her.

 Zidane was so pleased to actually have a family that he’d latched onto Mikoto immediately, calling her his sister more often than not, tugging on her pigtails, and generally going all out to make her feel at home. Only his idea of home varied considerably from her idea of home. Still, although she often scowled and protested, he did not let that deter him; he just hugged her more tightly, bickered with her more playfully, and proved that he could be just as stubborn as she.

That was the first way they were alike, although no one who knew them would call that a good thing, necessarily. Most of their communication was via bickering, as their stubbornness always got the better of them. Zidane just had this way of getting under Mikoto’s skin, while she often enjoyed getting a few smart remarks in herself.

Mikoto might have let their relationship fall by the wayside, resigned to a series of obligatory letters back and forth, with only a rare visit when absolutely necessary. Family just wasn’t something that Mikoto understood, and it wasn’t something she was sure she really wanted to understand.

In contrast, Zidane would hear none of that. He was the one who had been searching for a family since before he could remember. Now that he’d found a piece of it, through a sister, he was determined to keep her in his life. Oftentimes, that meant showing up in  _her_ life with very little advance notice.

“How  _do_  you do that?” she said, irritation ever-present in her tone. “You’re married to a queen. You’re a Prince Consort. Surely, you have obligations to attend to? In Alexandria? Where you  _live.”_

Zidane merely shrugged and gave her a hug. He was always doing that—hugging her, ruffling her hair, tugging at her ribbons and sashes and clips. What surprised her more was that she’d grown used to it. Although she’d never admit it to him in a million years, she also knew that he’d probably figured that bit out already. Which is why he  _kept_  doing it.

“Do what, sis?” he’d said, making himself comfortable on the lone wooden stool in her tiny Dali cottage.

Mikoto rolled her eyes and poured herself yet another cup of coffee. It was going to be a long visit. “Bother me every moment.”

“You’re hardly ever here for me to bother you,” he pointed out, grinning cheekily at her as he swiped her mug for himself.

So they both apparently had a coffee addiction of sorts in common as well, noted Mikoto dryly as she whacked him with a wooden spoon before taking her mug back. “Get your own.”

“No hospitality for your guest?” he said, feigning hurt. “How rude of you, dear sister.”

“You said it yourself, you’re family, not a guest. So go on, get your own coffee so you’ll stop whining at me about it.” Mikoto sighed and reluctantly pushed the kettle over. “I hope you like it black, because I don’t have anything to add to it.”

“I noticed,” he said in a decent interpretation of her usual dry tone. Zidane found himself an empty mug from her unsurprisingly bare cabinets, pouring his own cup before he stared at his sister with great amusement.

 “Do I have something on my face?” she asked, staring back at him.

“Just looking at you,” he said easily. “We look a hell of a lot alike, you know? Kinda neat, sis.”

“You’re so odd.” Mikoto shook her head, her tail swinging behind her as she poked around for bread and cheese. “I guess I should offer you something to eat. This is all I have here, so it’ll have to do.”

 “Why am I not surprised?” Zidane chuckled and reached across the table to poke at her hair ribbons.

“I don’t see the point in cooking,” said Mikoto. “Not when there’s a perfectly nice tavern close by. Besides, it’s not as if I’m here long enough to merit keeping things around.”

“Ah, my globetrotting sister,” said Zidane indulgently. “Just where will you be headed next? You should come to Alexandria—Dagger’s been bugging me about getting you to visit us sometime.”

Mikoto shrugged as she reached for a piece of cheese. “Maybe I’d rather spend my next vacation in Daguerrero. They do have a great number of books there. Or maybe Madain Sari, as it’s nice there this time of year.”

"You hate water, and the moogles would drive you crazy in an hour,” pointed out Zidane. “Besides, Dagger would be crushed if you didn’t see her before the annual celebration.”

Mikoto scowled, because her brother had a point. Although the books in Daguerro were appealing, during her last visit, she’d been wet and miserable for the entire week she was there. It was also true that moogles in general, and especially Eiko’s well-meaning but incessantly talkative ones, drove her up the wall. So instead, she kept her mouth shut. 

“See. I knew it. You should come visit us instead.” Zidane gave her his most charming smile, all teeth and foolishness.

“Will I have to go to tea?” asked Mikoto grumpily, already knowing that she was about to prepare for a trip to Alexandria. She supposed it could be worse, although it didn’t mean she’d have to like what amounted to being strong-armed into a vacation.

“I think having you visit would be a great reason to get me out of tea too,” said Zidane. “Although the scone-things are really good.”

“You’ll help yourself to the scones from the kitchens and share with me.” Mikoto gave the closest approximation of a smile that she could manage. “Unless you’re going to be mean.”

“Since when have I ever been mean to you, my dear sister?” Zidane said lightly. “You’re always the one throwing her best barbs at me, after all.”

“You started it,” said Mikoto primly as she reached for more coffee.  _That_  got him laughing whole-heartedly, a deep-throated belly laugh which made Mikoto stare, as her eyebrows rose upward in confusion. “Excuse me?”

Zidane gasped for breath as he struggled to regain his composure. Instead of answering her indignant response, he just smiled at her. This only managed to confuse and slightly infuriate Mikoto even more.

“What?” she asked, her tone cool. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, and she tried to keep her expression neutral, despite the obvious confusion present in her eyes.

“You say we’re not like siblings at all,” said Zidane after a long moment, “but when you say things like that, it’s like we  _are._  I don’t know how many times I’ve gotten into fights just like that with my bros in Tantalus.”

“Fights like what?” Mikoto said. Her attempts to remain unruffled were quickly falling by the wayside, especially as she continued to remain confused about the whole business.

“You started it!” cackled Zidane as he reached over to ruffle her ribbons again. “That’s such a sibling thing to say, Mik. And here, you say you don’t know how to be one. I think you’re doing just fine.”

“Oh.” Mikoto swiftly moved out of the way of his hands, adjusting her ribbons as she started throwing odds and ends into a bag on her bed.

“Oh, she says.” Zidane smirked. “It’s not like you to be left speechless, sister dear.”

Mikoto tossed an empty bag at his head. “If you have time enough to ruin all my hair ribbons and make fun of me, then you have time to help me pack.”

“You’re really coming?” asked Zidane brightly.

Mikoto nodded as she tossed shirts into a bag. “Well,  _someone_  has to get you out of tea.” 

* * *

Try as Zidane might, Mikoto still somehow found herself “forcibly” invited to tea on her second afternoon in Alexandria. Mikoto at least, had managed to drag her brother along to the festivities. Zidane glared at her across the table, his mouth stuffed full of chocolate scones as he blatantly ignored his wife. Garnet, much to her credit, paid her husband and his sister no mind, instead smiling as she allowed herself to make small talk with the mayor of Treno and his wife, who were paying a diplomatic visit.

Mikoto sighed and helped herself to more tea. At least the food was good here, better than her usual meager attempts at cooking or scavenging pub grub.

“So, Mikoto,” said the mayor’s wife, in a tone often reserved for servants and the like (Mikoto didn’t bother to remember her name, although she thought they might have been introduced), “how are you finding Alexandria?”

"It’s fine,” said Mikoto. (Cordelia! The mayor’s wife was named Cordelia, she remembered with some satisfaction.) “I’ve been here before, and it’s always fine.”

“Ah, and where are you from?” asked Cordelia, the wife of the Mayor of Treno, “Dali, right? How quaint. I confess, I’m not much for small town life. Treno is bustling, but it can be so slow some days. Visiting Alexandria is always such a treat.”

“Dali has its moments, but with my brother visiting me so often, I don’t think quaint ever enters my vocabulary,” said Mikoto with a pointed look at Zidane, who was still stuffing his face with pastries.

Zidane glared at Mikoto as the mayor’s wife turned her attention onto the prince consort. “Oh, yes! The prince consort is your brother, and how are you Zidane? Have you managed to think over the proposal my husband and I made yesterday?”

Mikoto sighed in relief as she was mercifully, left alone again. There were several reasons why she generally avoided tea at Alexandria Castle, despite the delicious food the kitchens had to offer. Small talk was generally high on that list of reasons.

Garnet turned to her sister-in-law and smiled gently at her. “You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” she said. “I’m sure it would be understandable.”

Despite her initial reservations, Mikoto found herself shaking her head. “No, I’ll stay,” said Mikoto. She paused slightly. “It’s not that bad.”

“Do you want to stay, though?” asked Garnet. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. We can have a quiet dinner later, if you’d prefer, just the three of us.”

“No,” said Mikoto. “Someone needs to keep Zidane from being a tactless moron.”

Garnet just nodded. She’d leave Mikoto her bluster and excuses for now. “Well, in that case, I do think it wise that you stay.”

Mikoto nodded slightly. “You do realize he ate all of the chocolate scones single-handedly?”

“Not all of them.” Garnet smiled as she reached behind a tray of carrot cakes (vile stuff, apparently—according to Zidane), to reveal a tiny covered tray which held two chocolate scones. “I always save a few somewhere.”

“That’s very clever.” Mikoto’s eyebrows lifted in confusion when Garnet placed both of the tiny treats onto her own plate. “Why are you giving me both of them?”

“Because I think you like them just as much as Zidane,” said Garnet, “But you’re far more polite than he is when it comes to this sort of thing.”

Another way they were different, and another way they were alike. Mikoto accepted the pastries with a nod. “Do you do this often?”

"As often as necessary,” said Garnet. “I think that they can be fun, don’t you?”

Mikoto wisely gave a nod in response, but otherwise focused intently on her scone. It appeared that she was learning.

* * *

“Over my dead body,” said Mikoto with a snarl as she walked backwards as quickly as she could manage. Her tail stood out nearly on its end as she kept looking around for an escape route.

Garnet glanced at her sister-in-law with obvious confusion. “You don’t like the dress?” She set the offending garment aside and took a step closer toward Mikoto. “Or is something else the matter?”

“That dress is awful,” said Mikoto bluntly. “I don’t see why we need to have any party anyway. Isn’t the anniversary coming up soon? Shouldn’t you be busy deciding what goes where with that? You’ve got to have better things to do than spend all your time making me girly.”

With a raised eyebrow, Garnet sat on the bench at the end of Mikoto’s bed. “What’s really bothering you?”

Mikoto bristled. “Nothing.”

“If you say so,” said Garnet gently. “But spending time with you is not an obligation, Mikoto. If you don’t like the dress, that’s fine as well.” She offered Mikoto a smile.

“It just seems frivolous.” Mikoto leaned against the wall and pointedly ignored the dress strewn against her chair. Her tail thumped against the stone floor as her fingers toyed with a loose hem on her tunic.

“You don’t want the attention.” Garnet sighed and gathered up her skirts. With great effort, she moved to crouch on the floor next to her sister-in-law, who was sprawled along the floor. “I should have figured as much. I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable.”

 “Why do you have to be so  _nice_.” Mikoto glanced up at Garnet. “If you were …like Zidane, then I’d know what to do. He’s a pain in the ass.”

Garnet smiled and placed her hand on Mikoto’s shoulder gently, and to her relief, the younger woman didn’t shy away from the gesture. Instead, she seemed to lean into it, ever so slightly. “He can be a pain,” agreed Garnet. “But he was really afraid that you wouldn’t want to come. Or that you’d think he was horrible.”

“He is horrible,” said Mikoto. “A horrible thorn in my side. I can’t imagine what you see in him, Garnet. You’re so …nice.” Mikoto shuddered and threw her hands up into the air. “He drives me crazy. I keep telling him to go do things, but he still visits me. Don’t prince consorts have responsibilities?”

“He seems to avoid most of the responsibilities,” said Garnet wryly. “But he’s taken an active role in getting Alexandria’s children more involved in the arts. Apparently, we’ve always needed our own theater district.”

Mikoto snorted. “That’s so like him.” She paused slightly, as if considering her next course of action. After a few moments, she shrugged, as if deciding it was okay to talk. “Okay, so maybe Zidane isn’t so bad. But he’s still really annoying.”

“Of course,” agreed Garnet. “If it makes you feel better, we can just have a quiet dinner instead of a big fancy party. I’ll admit that large social gatherings bother me sometimes, too.”

“You seem so at ease,” said Mikoto. “But really, you don’t have to fuss. Are you supposed to fuss when it comes to family? I thought that the opposite was true.”

“Parties are something I learned to get used to.” Garnet shrugged and with a sigh, she leaned against the wall, letting the ruffles of her skirt tumble every which way. Fancy dresses be damned. “I know you value your independence.” She grinned at Mikoto’s eye roll. “Still, you can still be independent and let others fuss over you a little.”

 “That doesn’t make any sense.” Mikoto brow bristled as she thought over what had just been said. Being independent meant being able to handle everything on your own, right?

 “It doesn’t make much sense,” agreed Garnet. “But I think it’s one of those things that you’re going to have to learn about own your own.”

Mikoto frowned. “You still insist on hosting something though, don’t you? I’m thinking that’s still your goal.”

“I can’t seem to let much slip by you,” said Garnet. “Yes. I would like to host something. You’re my husband’s sister, and he’s very fond of you. I am, too. But you can decide. We can have simple dinner with just us, or even something with some of the Tantalus group, if you’d like.”

“And if I want to be left alone?”

Garnet glanced over at Mikoto. “I’ll try to respect that.”

Mikoto raised an eyebrow. “Try? Why would you have to try? Couldn’t you manage that on your own?”

“It’s not that easy,” said Garnet. “While I understand your need to be alone, I think that too much time alone can be just as dangerous as spending too much time with others. Everyone needs some balance. You came here to visit Zidane, but the visit doesn’t have to be a chore. Some fun couldn’t hurt.”

“Fun,” said Mikoto. She shook her head and scowled. “Fun. Really?”

 “You’re not an old maid,” said Garnet. “Or a queen. Why not go out and try new things? You already travel extensively. You’re curious, Mikoto.”

“If this is to be my home for the foreseeable future, I feel like I ought to know about it,” said Mikoto primly. “I don’t see what fun has to do with any of this.”

“I like seeing my family happy,” said Garnet. “You’re curious enough to want to know everything, but not sure how to ask for it all yet. You’ve got too many thoughts in your head to not want to know, Mikoto. So why not have a little bit of fun?”

Mikoto frowned as she mulled over her sister-in-law’s words. She smoothed the hem of her skirt and kept her posture ramrod-straight as she thought. Her brow furrowed, and she sighed. “I don’t see the point of having loud, noisy people over to get drunk and act like idiots. What’s the point?”

“I don’t think it’s much fun either,” said Garnet agreeably. “But Zidane enjoys it, which is good enough for me. Tell me, have you seen Zidane act yet? He’s marvelous on stage.”

“No,” said Mikoto flatly. “He never asked me to go, so I’ve never been.” Her tone remained as cool as usual, but she had her arms crossed over her chest stiffly.

“You should come with me then,” said Garnet as she clasped her hands together excitedly. “Every few months, I disguise myself and go out to Ruby’s Theater to see a show. Zidane hasn’t been preforming much lately, but he’s promised Ruby that he’d preform this weekend coming. As a favor to her, really.”

“You want me to go with you?” said Mikoto. She felt somehow lighter as she turned to glance toward Garnet. She couldn’t explain the feeling, but she didn’t mind it. Somehow, she found herself nodding.

“Wonderful!” Garnet beamed and wrapped her arms around Mikoto for a hug. “You’ll enjoy it, I’m sure. I’m so glad we thought of something to do!”

Zidane tried to hug is sister every time he saw her, but Mikoto still found the hug startling and stiffened slightly at the gesture. Garnet paid the girl no mind and wrapped her arms more securely around her. With a sigh, Mikoto tentatively reached over to wrap her arms around Garnet. This was how you were supposed to do it, right?

“She’s nicer than you,” said Mikoto dryly as she tucked a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. “Also a great deal more forceful.”

Garnet smiled serenely and smoothed her rumpled skirts. “Mikoto’s agreed to go to the theater with me next weekend.” She reached over and took the tray from her husband, efficiently setting it up on the small table in Mikoto’s room. “Since somebody forgot to invite her as he should have.”

“You should have said you wanted to go, squirt,” said Zidane as he reached over to tug at his sister’s pigtails. “I thought the theater would bore you. But I’m good, and I’m preforming this weekend, so I won’t be boring.”

Mikoto deftly moved out of reach of her brother’s hands. She was getting better at it, and quickly busied herself with her coffee before he could try to muss her hair again. “How should I know if the theater bores me? I’ve never been.”

“How was I supposed to know that?” grumbled Zidane. Garnet sighed and stuffed a pastry into her husband’s mouth before he could respond further.

“Don’t mind him,” said Garnet. “He’s just being stubborn.” She smiled and reached for her own drink. “But it’s good to have you here, Mikoto. It really is.”

Mikoto found herself nodding. “It’s different. But not so bad.”

“She likes us,” managed Zidane after he noisily swallowed. “Good. That’s high praise from my little sister.” He grinned and pushed the tray toward her. “Now eat.”

With a sigh, Mikoto reached for a pastry. This might not be so awful after all. (At least there was coffee.) 

* * *

The night that Garnet and Mikoto were to head to the theater was bright and clear, much to the former’s delight. It would hardly do for it to rain when her sister-in-law was due to see her brother perform onstage for the first time. Garnet decided to forgo the fancy dresses for the evening, instead donning her favorite cloak as she greeted Mikoto in the hall.

“Are you ready?” asked Garnet cheerfully as she tucked the hood over her head. “It’ll be just the two of us tonight, as you requested.”

Mikoto shrugged. She’d worn her usual tunic and slacks tucked into her boots, as she’d seen no need to dress differently. “How did you convince your guards to leave you alone?”

 “A little of this, a little of that.” Garnet smiled mysteriously as she headed down the hallway. “There won’t be any trouble, so don’t you worry, Mikoto.”

“I wasn’t worrying,” grumbled Mikoto as she tagged along after her. “I thought I was supposed to ask about things. That’s conversation, right? Or have I been doing it wrong again?”

 “Oh! Well, in that case,” said Garnet, as she reached out to link her arm with the girl’s, “I’ve asked Beatrix to run interference for me tonight. I might be queen of Alexandria, but I did save the world once. That means I can handle myself. At least a little bit!”

Mikoto, to her credit, only winced slightly at the gesture. Close contact still seemed slightly uncomfortable. Garnet could be just as forceful as her husband, only she managed it in such a way that made it seem less annoying. It was more of an earnest energy that seemed even harder to say no to than Zidane’s dogged persistence.

Once they were outside of the palace, Mikoto tried to tug her arm away from her sister-in-law’s, but Garnet’s grip was surprisingly forceful. Resigned to the other’s enthusiasm, she allowed herself to be led down the streets of Alexandria. “So, just where is this theater, anyway?”

“Not too far away at all,” said Garnet as she led Mikoto down another alleyway. “Zidane’s friend Ruby runs the theater. She’s very sweet. Have you met her yet?”

“Once,” said Mikoto as she recalled a bossy young woman with a very distinct accent. “She was very annoying.”

Garnet laughed. “She can be, but she’s also quite nice. Ruby has done a great deal to help Zidane with his community theater project. In exchange, she often makes him perform in her shows. Tonight, they’re going to perform something by Lord Avon. He’s my favorite playwright, so I’m excited!”

When are you not excited, thought Mikoto with a roll of her eyes. After a few more minutes of walking, the two of them stopped in front of a small, fairly nondescript building. “Is this it?”

Garnet nodded and reached for the door. “Yes. Now, let’s go and have fun. We’ll be able to speak with Zidane after the show. He’s going to be so delighted that you came!”

Mikoto glanced around the theater as she stepped inside. It didn’t look terribly fancy; just a bunch of tables and chairs surrounding a small stage at one end of the building. How could you put on a show at a place like this? She didn’t quite understand, but allowed herself to be ushered over towards a seat near the front. Garnet settled in next to her, and she quickly removed her cloak and smiled excitedly at Mikoto.

“It looks… small,” said Mikoto after a moment. “How is this supposed to work?”

“You’ll have to see,” said Garnet. “It’s difficult to explain, but theater, at least to me, is something really magical. It’s a story that’s being told in front of your eyes.”

“Why do you always say that things are hard to explain?” said Mikoto gruffly as she leaned back in her chair.

“Reading about things, or having me tell you about them isn’t the same as seeing it for yourself,” said Garnet. “I had to do and see a lot of things for myself before I realized the difference.”

“That makes sense. But I still don’t think I like it.” Mikoto said with a shrug. “At least I’ll get to experience something tonight.”

Garnet nodded. “After tonight, you’ll have one new thing that you’ll have experienced. Ready for the show?”

“Yes, actually,” said Mikoto, surprising even herself. “I am.”

Garnet smiled and clasped her hands together excitedly. “That’s good then. Now, how much do you know about Lord Avon?”

Mikoto shrugged. “He wrote plays, and died over five hundred years ago. But his work is still very popular. Why?”

“Sometimes,” said Garnet, “when a story is written, it lasts. That’s part of the beauty of writing. All your words are kept for generations to read afterward. Some things, some feelings, transcend time. A play like  _I Want to Be Your Canary,_ or  _Wishing Upon a Star,_ can remind people that things like love, loss, and even happiness have always been around.”

“You try to see yourself as the characters?” asked Mikoto. She sat more upright in her seat (a find feat, given Mikoto’s usual ramrod straight posture) and turned to give Garnet her full attention.

“When I can, I think it’s wonderful to relate to the characters. In a good story, I feel like they’re my friends for the few hours it takes me to read or watch something.” Garnet patted Mikoto’s hand gently. “But you may like the play, or dislike it, for your own reasons.” Mikoto puzzled over Garnet’s comments.

After a little while, Ruby appeared at their table, her arms full to bursting with three goblets and a bottle of wine. “Can I sit here with ya’ll tonight?” asked Ruby.

“Of course.” Garnet moved her chair closer to Mikoto’s to make room. “We’ll have a girls’ night of sorts. I thought you were going to perform tonight? I know  _Wishing Upon a Star_  is one of your favorites.”

“Darlin’, every show is my favorite for the time we’re preformin’ it.” Ruby waved the comment aside and set to filling each of their glasses generously with wine. “But for this one, I’m just the manager. I reckon I’ll join a show sometime, but I gotta let others get a go at it now and again, yeah? There’s a new girl, one o’ the students Zidane’s been workin’ with. She’s gonna play Odelia tonight.”

Mikoto half-listened to Garnet and Ruby’s conversation as she sipped her wine and watched the pre-performance hustle and bustle around her. Older children and teenagers kept moving back and forth along the stage as last-minute preparations were made.  Lights were adjusted, and sets were moved onstage. Everything was a flurry of what Mikoto supposed was a kind of organized chaos.

  1. His tail twitched out from behind the curtain.



“It looks like they’re about ready to begin,” said Garnet. Her voice pulled Mikoto away from the stage and back to her group. Garnet was smiling at her in a way that Mikoto really wasn’t entirely sure she liked.

Much to her surprise, Mikoto found herself enjoying the show. At first, she found the language dated and everything else about it just plain weird. That was supposed to be a tree? And they were supposed to be getting married? Nothing looked right—not like she’d been told it was supposed to be, at least. It didn’t look messy, it just looked strange.

But oddly enough, she found herself mesmerized by the behavior of everyone onstage. Her brother, normally a charming and rather irritating sort of person, was portraying the villain tonight. Everything about the person on the stage was so different from Zidane’s usual demeanor. Mikoto kept her eyes firmly transfixed on him whenever he was onstage, waiting for him to slip up and let parts of her brother come out instead. But Zidane never did; so firmly entrenched in his character as he was.

Eventually, what was looking around for mistakes became actual enjoyment of the performance before her. Mikoto found herself smiling, much to her amazement. She’d wanted the villain to get his comeuppance, especially once he’d revealed to all the town Odelia’s secrets. She found herself compelled; she had to know what was going to happen next.

A quick glance to the side revealed that Garnet was openly weeping, while Ruby’s face glowed with pride. Something for everyone, realized Mikoto with a jolt. Was this what theater did to people? She frowned and refocused her attention to the play. It was a fighting scene, full of movement. It was difficult to take in everything going on all at the same time. Still, Mikoto tried her best to observe each and every detail. 

Afterward, Mikoto remained still as everyone else in the theater applauded around her. She realized belatedly that she was probably supposed to clap, but she was still trying to wrap her head around what she’d just seen. This was the theater that Zidane and Garnet had both waxed so poetically to her about. It was …interesting.

“What did you think?” asked Garnet. She’d turned to Mikoto with a frown once she realized that the younger woman wasn’t applauding. “Did you not like it?”

“It was very good,” said Mikoto slowly as she contemplated her words. “I need to think about it.”

Ruby chuckled at Mikoto before handing her another glass of wine. “The stars in her eyes say plenty enough! I reckon Mikoto’s just overwhelmed. Ya did say this was her first show, yeah?”

Garnet nodded. “Of course. I’m sure you’re right, Ruby.”

Mikoto sipped absently at the wine. It tasted sweet and fruity, and wasn’t all that unpleasant. Considering that she’d balked at the wine she’d been given at the palace earlier, it made Mikoto wonder just what was in this particular glass.  She shrugged the thought aside and nodded at Garnet. “Zidane was so unlike himself.”

“He’s really a very good actor,” said Garnet agreeably. “Would you like to go backstage and greet the cast? I’m sure Zidane will be asking about you.”

“But I’m not sure what to say yet.” Mikoto frowned and quickly drained her glass. “Won’t he be disappointed?”

Ruby snorted. “You think too much, Mikoto. Zidane’ll be pleased as punch when you say that you didn’t see him as him onstage. That’s acting, darlin’. Now go on back and say hi before he drags himself out here to see you first.”

Mikoto didn’t protest when Garnet locked arms with her again. The two of them quickly scrambled up onto the stage, then back around towards the wings. Zidane was standing near one of the dressing rooms, still more or less in his costume. When he saw his wife and sister, he waved happily at both of them.  Garnet dragged Mikoto across the backstage area over toward him. Zidane gathered both of them up for a gigantic bear hug. 

“What’d you think?” asked Zidane as he pulled away. He leaned over to kiss Garnet, but she tilted her head so he only managed a kiss on the cheek. With a pout, he turned toward Mikoto to ruffle his sister’s hair instead.

Garnet smiled. “You made an adequate villain,” she said, even as she gave him a knowing smirk.

“Adequate,” said Zidane with a smirk. “Yeah, right. You’ve been crying. I don’t think you cry over performances that are just adequate.”

“The truth will only enlarge that ego of yours even further.” Garnet’s eyes twinkled with amusement.

“You didn’t say that last—“ Zidane was cut off by a cough from Mikoto. Garnet gave her sister-in-law a relieved glance, even as she was already blushing.

“Enough with your hormones,” said Mikoto with a roll of her eyes. “You did a good job, Zidane. But you know you did already.”

“Still, it’s nice to hear it from the people that matter most.” Zidane gave her a goofy grin, which was somewhat betrayed by the sentiment in his eyes.  Garnet sighed and curled towards him. He quickly wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist, tugging her closer to him.

Mikoto found herself amused by their affection. “Now what?” she asked, glancing around. “It’s mostly over?”

“Until the next show, or the cast party, whichever comes first,” said Zidane with a smirk. “Don’t tell me that my sister the loner is actually looking forward to what comes next?”

 “You didn’t do this show with anyone from Tantalus,” said Mikoto. “Except for Ruby, but she didn’t perform. Does that mean you’ll do something with them soon? I’d like to see it.”

Zidane blinked before quickly composing himself. “Tantalus and I will be doing some stuff for the annual celebration in a few weeks. You should come out and see us. I know the guys’ll be glad to see you again.”

“Really?” asked Mikoto. “I didn’t think I had made much of an impression on them.”

"Trust me,” said Zidane. “You did. Everybody’s wondering how a goofball like me got such a cool sister. Even if she is a squirt.”

Mikoto smirked. “Just lucky, I guess.”

Zidane nodded and used his free hand to ruffle the top of Mikoto’s head. “Well, at least I’m still taller.”

“Yes, but I’m more clever.” Mikoto reached out to ruffle his hair this time—before hers could be mussed. Another lesson learned, she was quickly discovering.

* * *

The annual celebration was a noisy, crowded affair. As Mikoto boarded a train toward Alexandria, she constantly found herself wondering just why she’d agreed to attend. She hated crowds, and wasn’t too terribly fond of cities. It was another way where she was quite the opposite of her erstwhile brother, who always seemed at home in a crowd, and just as pleased about living in the heart of the city.

Despite this, Mikoto was still dragging herself to the city for anniversaries and public gatherings. Maybe she was a bit of a masochist after all; who knew? She brushed the thought aside as she glanced out her window toward Alexandria proper. She caught sight of her brother out in the crowd, and that surprised her—she hadn’t expected him to be there to greet her at the station. What didn’t surprise her though, was that fact that he was surrounded by people, regaling them with some sort of story. Zidane’s entire body—tail included—moved around animatedly as he spoke, punctuating each word excitedly.

When he saw her, he waved once before turning his attention back towards the group, which consisted mostly of children. Her brother seemed fond of children, something she herself didn’t understand, and had no desire whatsoever to learn how to understand. With practiced ease, Mikoto took her one bag and headed off the train and toward Zidane.

“And you see, that’s how I met the princess—oh, well, now she’s the queen.” Zidane gave the crowd his best grin. The adults chuckled appreciatively, and the children all clapped and cheered happily.

“Telling the crowd your wild stories again?” said Mikoto. She gave him a gentle flick with her tail. “And just how much of it all did you make up to please the crowd?”

“None of it.” Zidane pouted and flicked his tail back at her. “Ladies and gentlemen, my sister Mikoto. She likes to make my life a misery. I’m sure any of you with your own siblings will agree with me.” Several heads in the audience nodded. A few gave Zidane sympathy glances. He grinned and wrapped an arm lazily around his sister. Mikoto sighed and knew that if she pushed it off, he’d just give her a bone-crushing hug instead. “But my sister is the best,” said Zidane. “And since I came here today to greet her at the station, I think it’s time for us to go. See you all at the festivities tomorrow, I hope! Tantalus will be preforming  _I Want to Be Your Canary_ , and it should be great, as always!”

“The crowd loves you,” said Mikoto as she deftly moved her bag out of her brother’s hands. He knew full well that she’d never let him carry her bag, but he always felt obligated to try.

“I love the crowd right back.” Zidane nimbly navigated the two of them through the hordes of people at the station today, all arriving, seemingly at once, for the anniversary celebrations.  “But I think it’s safe to say that you don’t agree with me, little sis.”

“Crowds involve people,” said Mikoto with a shudder. She twitched as she left the station, which had only seemed to get busier since her arrival. Outside, there were even more people, all scurrying around frantically as preparations were made for tomorrow’s celebrations.

Zidane shrugged. “But that’s part of the appeal, squirt.”

“For you maybe. I think I prefer being a hermit.” Mikoto shrugged right back. “But I came, so that gives me credit, right?”

“Of course.” Zidane grinned. “I heard a rumor about chocolate scones over at the palace. Dagger apparently noticed you’d taken a fancy to them last time you were here.”

“What little of them I could get when you weren’t busy hoarding them all.” Mikoto smirked over at her brother. “You still eat like a pig.”

“The pigs would probably be offended by the way I eat.” Zidane grinned and led Mikoto over toward a carriage. “I know we usually hoof it, but considering how busy it is, Dagger insisted we take a ride today.”

“Dagger did. Right,” said Mikoto as she took a seat. Her prim posture looked downright comical next to Zidane’s lazy slouch. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?”

“A pair of siblings enjoying an afternoon in the city,” said Zidane. “That’s plenty good enough for me.”

Mikoto was surprised to realize that it was good enough for her, as well. Still, she remained unusually full of nerves as she settled into her room at the palace later that afternoon. Despite the already-abundant crowds in the city, she was apparently the first arrival at the palace. Early to the point of almost being obnoxious about it seemed to be a thing with her. That particular conclusion made her wonder if her brother was perpetually late. It would be yet another fitting contradiction between the two of them. 

Still, she was disinclined to talk to Zidane about it. After dealing with the busy crowds, quiet and a few moments to herself would be most appreciated at the moment. She sighed and made herself comfortable on the bed. As a general sort of rule, she wasn’t one for napping during the day, except when she was very, very ill. So she sat, curled up among the luxurious blankets and fluffy pillows. She sat and hummed softly, letting her thoughts float easily around her head for a little while. It seemed that she had plenty enough to think about.

Mikoto wasn’t sure about how much time had passed. It must have been a while, because a knock on the doorframe jolted her out of her daydreams. “Yes?”

One of Zidane’s friends, Marcus, was leaning against the doorframe. He gave her a small nod. “Hey. Zidane sent me up to get you for dinner. He’d have come himself, but there’s too much going on downstairs.”

“I guess the other people have finally arrived,” said Mikoto with a wry little grin. “It serves him right for marrying a queen. There’s so much to do on a night like tonight.”

Marcus nodded and waited patiently for Mikoto to smooth her rumpled skirts and find her shoes. She shrugged into her best shoes, hoping that her simple dress would be suitable for tonight’s dinner. With a quick glance in the mirror, she started following Marcus down the hallway.

“Is everyone here?” asked Mikoto politely.

“Everyone from Tantalus, plus most of Zidane’s group,” said Marcus. “Amarant’s not here yet, but he’ll show up whenever he does, and Freya’s going to be in late tonight. Something to do with diplomacy and Burmecia and something else, I wasn’t really paying attention.”

Mikoto smirked. “I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one. A great deal of this tends to go over my head. It’s not that I don’t hear it, it’s more that I don’t see the point of all of the fuss and bother.”

“I just tune it out.” Marcus offered her an amused nod. “You’re very practical, Mikoto, aren’t you?”

“I try to be. I’d make a poor princess.” She briskly walked toward the staircase. “But an even worse ambassador.”

“Zidane mentioned the time when you managed to insult the wife of the mayor of Dali.” Marcus paused as he tried to recall the incident. “Did you really tell her that her dress made her look like a fat chocobo?”

“It did!” Mikoto twitched her tail back and forth defensively. “It was a yellow dress, simply covered in feathers. What else was she supposed to resemble? How was I to know she was so sensitive about such things?”

  1. “But you still live in Dali, so clearly you didn’t offend her that much.”



“I think I’m still allowed to live in Dali because Garnet is quite excellent at diplomacy.” Mikoto hung around the outskirts of the crowds as she tried to discern who all was in attendance tonight. “She’s very good a smoothing over ruffled feathers.”

“Ah, so you can make jokes,” replied Marcus. “Zidane had us nearly convinced that you were completely without a sense of humor.”

“It comes and it goes,” said Mikoto breezily. Much to her relief, it appeared that just the members of Tantalus were here tonight, along with a few of the other usual suspects: Quina, Eiko and her parents, Steiner and Beatrix, plus of course, Zidane and Garnet. “The crowd is small tonight. I’ll be appreciative of that.”

“Where will you go, once this event is over?” asked Marcus. “I know you travel often.”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Mikoto shrugged and waved her hand dismissively. “Let’s see, I was in Alexandria, then I headed over to Treno for a short while, and now I’m back in Alexandria. I’ll figure something out, but just between you and me, I think I’ll have had my fill of family for a while.”

“Zidane does have a way of getting under your skin.” Marcus said, even as he helped himself to hors d'oeuvres from a tray nearby. “It’s hard to say no once he gets an idea in his head.”

“Garnet’s nicer about it, which somehow makes it even harder to say no to her,” replied Mikoto. “So, I think I just need to stay away from Alexandria for a while, before I get talked into things I don’t particularly want to do.”

“You should come to Lindblum again,” said Marcus. “Blank, Cinna and I could show you around the city. You said you wanted to see the airships, right?”

“I’ll think about it,” said Mikoto. Truth be told, she’d wanted to see Lindblum on her own terms. Her first and only visit so far to the city had been with her brother. Zidane had meant well, but he’d spent most of the trip driving her crazy. She wondered what she’d see if she took the time to see what she wanted to, instead of what Zidane would drag her off to what he thought she’d want to see.

Not that all that Zidane had shown her had been a waste of time, mind you. But sometimes, she just wanted to do things her way. Mikoto sighed and wondered why she’d been so reluctant to go back to Lindblum. She’d gone back to all the other places she’d been to with Zidane and others—often alone, just as she liked it.

“Something troubling you?” asked Marcus.

Mikoto shook her head. “Not really. I was just wondering why I’d never bothered to go back to Lindblum again yet. I might drop in sometime soon.”

“But you’ll do it as you please, since you’re not a people person.” Marcus handed her a plate. “Eat these, they’re good. And when you do show up in Lindblum, let Tantalus show you it properly.” He gave her a polite nod before heading off to talk to Ruby and Beatrix, who were huddled in the corner, having some sort of intense conversation of a sort.

“Huh,” mused Mikoto to Marcus’s retreating figure. She wasn’t sure what had just happened during that little exchange.

“Making friends, Mikoto?” Freya glanced over toward Marcus. “It’s good to see you settling in. You should come by Burmecia sometime.”

Friends. That was new—she wasn’t sure how she felt about that just yet. Zidane had said that his Tantalus bros had thought her cool, but friends? Well, that was something new. And now, an invitation to Burmecia? Strange.

“Burmecia is always a lovely place to visit,” said Mikoto. “I’d meant to go again, now that the new library is open. Marcus said you were coming late.”

“I managed to slip away.” Freya nodded and reached for a drink. “This is also important. How are you settling in? Garnet tells me you’ve visited twice now, these past few weeks.”

“Zidane and Garnet are both very convincing,” said Mikoto with a good-natured smirk. “But I expect I’ll have had my fill of the city for some time after this trip.” She allowed herself to settle into conversation with Freya. The older woman had a serene strength about her, which Mikoto found herself admiring. Freya was capable enough to lead an entire city, yet she held no qualms about admitting to needing moments of quiet. To Mikoto, Freya was strong—both physically and emotionally—and yet, still every inch a graceful lady. It would be, in Mikoto’s eyes, something to perhaps aspire to.

After sitting through  _I Want to Be Your Canary,_  Mikoto could see just why Garnet liked it so much. She could also understand why she’d take  _Wishing Upon a Star_  instead any day of the week.  _Canary_  was romance and drama, tragic yet full of hope for the future—and for peace.  _Wishing,_ was instead, full of adventure and backstabbing, with a plot wholly political, along with some justice served in the end.  _Canary_  seemed to be optimistic with a cynical ending, while  _Wishing_  was cynical with an optimistic ending. She grinned wryly to herself and wondered what that said about her character.

But, at least this time, she’d remembered to applaud politely at the end. Social conventions—it appeared that she’d grasp them, one way or another. Still, Mikoto doubted that she’d ever quite understand tact. Little did she know that that was another area she had in common with her brother. Zidane could charm anyone, but he could also cut through the crap just as easily when the need was there. They seemed to be of a like mind when it came to impatience towards dealing with what they’d perceived to be excuses or trickery.

Still, Zidane had given a solid performance, which made Mikoto proud, much to her bemusement. She’d never imagined that she could hold any kind of affection, nor pride, for Zidane. A brother in name, but never feeling, was what she’d believed would be the case. She sighed, both disgruntled and delighted that her brother seemed to be proving her wrong in this particular instance.

After the show, Zidane had practically leapt on her as he leaned in to give his kid sister a hug. “So, what’d you think, squirt?”

“You make a better villain,” said Mikoto dryly. “But this one was decent.”

“High praise.” Zidane bowed lavishly and kissed her cheeks. “Thanks, sis.”

Mikoto rolled her eyes and tried to squirm away. “Must you always be so embarrassing? Really?” When he tightened his hold on her, she sighed and thwacked her tail against his shins. “Go bother Garnet.”

“She told me to go away,” replied Zidane smoothly. “So why wouldn’t I go see my sister? She hardly ever visits me, after all.”

“Liar,” said Mikoto hotly. “This is my second visit in two months. You must be getting sick of me by now.”

“Hardly!” Zidane lifted Mikoto up and swung her around. “Before that, you only visited at my wedding to Garnet. So how is that seeing us enough? You’re a hermit, Mik.”

Mikoto scowled and thwacked him in the shins again, this time with her boot. Zidane abruptly let her go. “Now you’re just being mean.”

“You were getting on my nerves.” She scowled at him and raised her arms defensively. “Why do you do this to me?”

“I like making you angry,” said Zidane. “It proves that you can still feel, Mik.”

“Maybe I like to argue with you too. But I don’t like all of the touchy-feely.” She smoothed her skirt and met his gaze. “Surely you’ve heard of personal space?”

Zidane shrugged. “You’re like Dagger that way, you know? She gets all out of joint whenever I tease her too much. No wonder she likes having you around.”

“She says that we’re a lot alike.” Mikoto crossed her arms over her chest and glanced warily at her brother. “I don’t know how I feel about that.”

“Dagger likes people-watching. She’s got to do a lot of it. I guess she sees something that the two of us don’t.”  Zidane shrugged and smiled at Mikoto brightly. “But I think we do okay. I’m glad you did like my acting.”

“You’re very …electric.” Mikoto chewed on her bottom lip as she thought. “It’s like you have this energy around you. Things gravitate toward you.”

“Except for you. I always have to go out and find you.” Zidane’s tail swished behind him idly as he pulled two champagne flutes from a waiting tray. He took one and handed the other to his sister.

She sipped and considered her next words. “You prod me out of my lair with alarming frequency. I can hardly be called a hermit when you drop by all the time.”

“Family does that,” said Zidane with a shrug. He automatically reached out to ruffle her hair. “Besides, you’d know you’d miss it if I stopped.”

 “It’d be nice, having some blessed quiet for more than a fleeting moment.” But Mikoto tapped her foot and shrugged back at him. “But you’re not so bad, really.”

“Thanks,” said Zidane dryly. Mikoto rolled her eyes and huffed. (He considered it progress.)

* * *

Mikoto didn’t know how it happened, but somehow, she found herself packing her bags for yet another visit to Alexandria. For some reason, there’d been a distinct change in her relationship with Zidane. She’d still bickered with him, of course, but the understanding seemed to be that they both enjoyed the arguing, and the light teasing back and forth. She’d never understand it, but she appeared to be  _friends,_ of all things with her brother.

She remained comfortably unaware of this development as she settled into her compartment on the airship. Zidane had been eager to discuss some sort of thing with her; the letter itself was fairly vague on details, which was pretty much exactly like Zidane. The moogle who had presented it to her hadn’t been very helpful, either. All that Mikoto could discern was that Zidane had something that he needed to discuss with her—and could she possibly come down for a visit, since he wanted to talk to her about it in person?

“I thought he was the one who seemed able to get away on a moment’s notice,” grumbled Mikoto as she reached for her bag, which was tucked neatly under her feet. The airship ride had been, thankfully, uneventful. She caught sight of her brother as she made her way out of the station; he was waving goofily at her, which she pointedly refused to acknowledge.

“You came!” shouted Zidane happily as he automatically reached for his sister’s bag.

Mikoto rolled her eyes at the familiar gesture—and kept her bag firmly in her own grasp. “Yes, I did. Your letter was horrendously vague. How was I to be sure you hadn’t come down with a terrible fever or near-death illness?”

“Do you really think I’d be writing  _you_  a letter if I were gravely ill?” said Zidane with a chuckle as he led her over to café down an alleyway near the station. Despite the café’s desirable location, it appeared to be somewhat of a hole in the wall.

Mikoto raised one eyebrow at the choice of venue before primly taking a chair at a small table near the back. “Well, Garnet could have been ill. Unlike you, I’d actually worry about her if she were sick.”

Zidane snorted and quickly ordered two coffees for them. “Oh, come on. You really do care, and I know you’d be worried if I came down with something serious.”

“Maybe.” Mikoto smirked and refused to be amused, although her tail twitched slightly. “In any case, aren’t you …you know, Prince Consort or something? Why are we at this particular establishment?” She gestured to a hole in the plaster just above Zidane’s head.

“We’re here because they make the best coffee in Alexandria,” said Zidane proudly as two cups were set in front of them. “Go on, try it.”

As loathe as she was to admit that her brother was right, Mikoto found herself nodding appreciatively as she took a sip. “I hate it when you’re right.”

“Ha! I told you.” Zidane grinned broadly as he reached over to ruffle Mikoto’s hair. “Trust me, I’m your big brother, after all.”

Mikoto, as always, swatted his hand away and rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes. Now, I know you didn’t just bring me here for coffee. Tell me whatever it is you can’t tell me back at the castle.”

“You know me too well.” Zidane shrugged and began fidgeting with his mug. “Um, you see, I kind of need to ask you a favor, Mik.”

Mikoto nearly dropped her cup in surprise. “You need to ask me a favor.”

“Yes.” Zidane sighed. “Dagger, well, she’s… um...,” he trailed off with a bit of a stammer, “well, you see... Dagger… she’s uh, pregnant.”

“Pregnant?” This time, Mikoto really did drop her mug. Thankfully, it was empty. “Um. Well. Pregnant. Am I supposed to congratulate you or something? Because I really would rather not think about that.”

Zidane sighed and ordered more coffee. “Dagger and I weren’t sure that this was …even going to be possible. What with our… you know.”

“Genome heritage, right.” Mikoto nodded and took a sip of her drink. “Well, what on earth do you need me for? I don’t think I’m going to be good at the whole ….supportive ….sister-in-law thing. I’m barely your sister.”

“You’re the best sister I could ever hope for,” said Zidane quickly. “Don’t doubt that, Mikoto. Me and Dagger, we think you’re amazing, and glad to have you as part of the family. You’ll be a great aunt to this baby, Mik. You are gonna, right?”

“Yes.” Mikoto blinked once, then twice. “Yes,” she said again, although she still sounded more than a little surprised. “I do want to be an aunt.”

“I knew it, you’re not completely heartless.” Zidane offered her a playful smile. “But actually, that’s not really the favor I meant to ask you.”

“Oh? Then what was the favor?” Mikoto glanced at him, not even bothering to conceal her curiosity this time. “Will it be something good? Or will it make me want to hurt you?”

“Well,” Zidane paled slightly, “you see, you’re both a Genome, and well… female. I was wondering if you could maybe check in on Garnet now and again? You’re more familiar with Genome culture than either of us. We’d like the baby to know a little about that side of his or her heritage, too.”

“I’ve never been pregnant,” said Mikoto quickly. She paused, tapping her fingers thoughtfully against the table. “But I’ve seen several other Genomes in the Black Mage Village give birth. As the de facto ambassador for the Genomes, I’ve had to manage a few things.”

Relief washed over Zidane’s face. “See? I knew you’d be just the person to talk to about this. Is there anything special that I need to tell Dagger about?”

“Not really,” said Mikoto. “From what I’ve read, I think Genomes and Gaians aren’t all that different. I suspect that it will be much the same—her pregnancy, that is. But I’ll do my best to offer assistance.”

 “You’re pretty good at that sort of thing,” admitted Zidane. “Better at it than me, at least. You research, and learn. You managed to decipher Garland’s notes, and get Vivi’s …children born. That was pretty special.”

Mikoto shrugged. “I merely offered what assistance I was able to. Vivi was …a kind soul. It seemed only fitting that he be allowed to continue his legacy—his dream, if you will.”

 “And you helped him achieve that,” said Zidane. “You’re pretty special.”

"Me?” said Mikoto. “I have a soul, so I suppose that does make me special.”

“You’re more than that. You’re this wonderful person who tries to be so cold, but is really just unsure. You’re observing and learning, and figuring out all of these things, and I’m really glad you’re my sister, Mik.” Zidane reached out to ruffle her hair again, and this time she did not protest.

“Are you sure about that?” asked Mikoto softly. “We don’t have anything in common. We’re totally opposite people. I don’t even know how to be me, let alone be someone’s sister. Or aunt.”

“We both like our coffee black and strong, and we’re stubborn to a fault,” said Zidane. “We have little patience for politics—we both prefer just to get to the point and be done with it.”

“You charm, I repel,” said Mikoto. 

“We have different ways of getting to the point,” corrected Zidane. “And you charm well enough—the whole of Tantalus was captivated by you, if you remember?”

Mikoto could feel her cheeks growing warm—and she didn’t like this feeling. This blushing, and feeling so out of control. She sighed and gave her brother her most neutral expression. “Thank you. I think.”

“First you admit I’m right, now you’re thanking me?” Zidane chuckled, and this quickly evolved into a big, bursting belly laugh. “That’s priceless, Mikoto.”

“I’m glad to see you’re still your zany self.” Mikoto smirked, pleased that things seemed to be settling back into their comfortable roles. “Now come on, let’s go to the palace to see Garnet. She’s carrying your child, and therefore, will need all of my sympathy.”

Zidane sighed and shook his head before wrapping his arm around his sister. “You know, Mik, you don’t need a reason or an invitation if you want to visit us here in Alexandria. You’re family.”

Mikoto didn’t shove Zidane’s arm away from her like she might do normally. This time, it actually felt kind of good. As the two of them headed up the stairs towards Alexandria Castle, Mikoto couldn’t help but smile. Maybe she didn’t think she needed a family, but somehow she managed to get one anyway. The thought warmed her—even as she offered her sympathies to Garnet for managing to get herself well and truly stuck with her goofball older brother. Because after all, what’s what family was for, right? 


End file.
